Major embouchure change, 11 month update

[Lionel]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Exactly 11 months ago I started on a major embouchure change. At the time it merely seemed like a good idea. The goal was to eliminate my high G cut-off point. I have/had a very good upper register for decades but like a lot of lead players the high G was a sticking point. Although progress had been made? My register just wasn't fluent above the G. That and extremely physically taxing.

Using what I've learned about embouchure I began a radical change. No longer did I position the horn at a downward angle but now it actually plays between straight out to a hair above horizontal. Roughly 3:00 ot 2:30 on the clock dial. I then turned my lower lip to pucker out. Instead of inwards.

My regimen at first was sny tone that would come out. Some days I held notes between high C to well above double C. Obviously I wasn't going to have a high G cut-off point if this thing worked out. Yet other days I had trouble just playing a solid G top of the staff. And until recently I had no lower register at all.

Much of my battle was psychological and emotional. I reasoned that so long as I persevered and stayed patient? It would eventually succeed. I knew this because the "business model" I'd chosen is typical of many good high note artists. Quite a number of them had much difficulty in their lower registers as beginners. So I wasn't concerned about the low notes.

Then one terrible day last August my whole music career was totally shattered. How so?

My right front, top incisor broke off at the gumline. Along with the tooth loss went my whole upper register. That big, gleaming fat sound I had on a high G? The upper register I'd used for well over forty five years? Gone! Completely gone in fact. My upper teeth were both so crucial to upper register production that I could not blow anything musical above a G top of staff. Believe me friends, I felt awful. In fact the only thing I could play musically on my former embouchure was my slide trombone. I took some consolation in that and started "boning up" on that ax in a local band.

Strangely enough however my new embouchure was totally unaffected by the tooth loss! I took my misfortune just as I did other past negative experiences. "Turning lemoms into lemonade". I redoubled my efforts on the new chop system like never before.

Now eleven months after starting the new embouchure setting I can finally play down to a low F# with some gracefulness. Although it tends to work better if played softly. Due to this discovery I now understand why Herbert L Clarke emphasized so much soft playing. In fact I'm repeating the whole "Clarke Technical Studies For Cornet" from start to finish. I needn't buy a new copy. Cuz I memorized the damned thing way back in college. Clarke was smart. His work over a hundred years old but timeless. My favorite study book.

On top of that I work ballads. Transposing them up slightly as my sound and endurance improves. My favorite "ballad" isn't really even a ballad but the violin and horn lines to "TSOP" aka "Theme From Soul Train". It was TSOP that originally built up my former chops. Five nights/week, four hours/night playing live show & dance music. On the road and esp around all the Boston bars. Some nights I thought my lip would die but it never did. Nothing like a paying gig to literally force you to get a more professional sound. I reasoned that by applying the same music and exercises that originally built my tone and strength up to being a strong lead player?

That repeating the same methodology ought produce similar improvement. Except this time without the nuisance of the cut-off point at 4th ledger line G.

Conclusion? The late Roy Stevens once returned my mail request. This was back in 1974. In his wisdom he replied with the words that "a major embouchure change like the Stevens system (his book!) Requires about three years of study to master".

And I think that he was probably correct in his prediction. Well assuming the planned embouchure change "fits" the trumpet player involved. In my case I can see great improvement ahead. Heck it took me the first ten months almost just to start sounding musical. My reasoning on expectation of great strides ahead is that now my endurance has improved to the point where I can take in both longer phrases and longer playing sessions.

At the heart of any major chop change there now appears to be three necessities. Or three "musts" if you will. Without these three factors? I doubt whether a trumpet player will succeed on this kind of embouchure change. If I may?

1. Trumpet player needs to have a good reason to change. Most cats with a solid high G such as I'd had for so long probably wouldn't choose to change. So there must be some "burning desire". Many people like to work hard to get rich. A driving force. As for me? I only wanted to play a solid lead up to double C. Wanted it more than money. Really.

2. The embouchure design must be workable. Granted you may sound awful for months at first. Yet your chosen embouchure design absolutely must be compatible with the physiology of your chops. This may be the second trickiest part. Because until one gets a ways down the road? How will he know that the new system fits?

3. Trumpet player must be able to ride out the continuing ups and downs of the change. In my own case I was lucky. As I have no other choice. Can't play anything on my former embouchure except for lower brass instruments. This is the hardest part. The concept of my own embouchure change is simple yet not easy. Requires discipline daily. Sometimes I can't wait to practice each day! Looking forward to a new, and improved level of playing. Other days? The best I that I can muster up is just to complete the warm up.

Herein lies yet another thing the embouchure change has taught me. Last December, upon changing my chops I was for all practical purposes a rank beginner once again. A beginner of course who at least reads music and knows all the fingerings but that's about it! A six grade trumpet playing kid sounded about the same as I did. However one great understanding I soon found out about a "beginner" is that while he needs a near daily practice regimen? These sessions needn't be very long. As the young embouchure not only can not withstand long hours of practice but? It can not improve beyond a limited amount each day. So unless a trumpet player can play for hours on hand right straight from the get go? He ought to just play a mere half hour or so daily for the first six months or so. This isn't to prescribe "laziness". It's just that the mind and body have a more limited learning curve before the new embouchure gets well grooved.
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"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!

Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[bear30101]

Happy Thanksgiving Lionel! Keep up the fight!
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searching

[delano]

[quote="Lionel"


1. Trumpet player needs to have a good reason to change. Most cats with a solid high G such as I'd had for so long probably wouldn't choose to change. So there must be some "burning desire". Many people like to work hard to get rich. A driving force. As for me? I only wanted to play a solid lead up to double C. Wanted it more than money. Really./quote]

I doubt that this is healthy thinking, not everybody is born for a DHC.

[bear30101]

"Why people tear the seams of anyone's dreams is over my head."
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searching

[delano]

Yes, life is suffering.

[Lionel]

It was definitely worth making the change. I have no problem with the naysayers. They remind me of what a wise man once. told me about the definition of a pessimist.

Pessimist: "
He who upon hearing opportunity knocking? Complains about the noise".

Just a half hour ago was practicing the horn. Working up to the high G and A. Same notes that I once had before but lost due to the dental accident. My sound is growing bigger and bigger. That and without the arm pressure. Nor the squirrely nature of the tone around high A.

How many systems can produce these kind of high notes in just 11 months? So I have no issue with the naysayers. They can remain with their limited range embouchures. No problem there. Yet for those who want to beat that range gap? You know not spend their whole playing careers stuck below High D? Their exists some valuable information in the O/T. There really does. Please feel free to take or leave them. Anyone who wants me to elaborate on this subject? Feel free to ask. Even the naysayers are welcome.
_________________
"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!

Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980).

[delano]

You are so convinced that the possibility of a real discussion looks small.
And you seem to be some top pro player that I don't know maybe because I live outside the USA. But I consider a range up to a big fat high G (some will call it a double G) with maybe weaker notes to and above DHC not as a range gap. But if you belong to the top players of the USA I presume you are right and I am wrong so I will rest my case.
There are high range players and players obsessed with high range. I am not sure whether your 'burning desire' means you belong to the first or to the latter.
I remember a topic here about the usefulness and necessity of a DHC. Maybe you could read that topic and especially the posts of Tim Wendt on this subject.
And tell your wise man that only physical entities can knock. Opportunities don't knock. Neither do emotions, the looks of a blossom tree and sunshine.